In Egypt, Deputy NSA Misri discusses interfaith dialogue and counter-extremism

Close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cairo trip, India’s deputy national security advisor Vikram Misri visited Egypt this week to meet Egyptian National Security Council and Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar University, to discuss deradicalisation and counter-extremism strategies and initiate inter-faith dialogue. Misri also invited to At-Tayyeb to visit India.

The Al-Azhar University is among the premier institutions in the Islamic world and nearly 500 students from India are enrolled in the institution. Misri and At-Tayyeb discussed ways to boost interfaith dialogue and joint cooperation, said people aware of the matter. The grand imam said a number of Al-Azhar envoys are sent to India to promote Al-Azhar approach and that 13 Indian schools are accredited as offering certificates equal to that given by the university through teaching the Al-Azhar curricula.

He said cooperation also includes training Indian imams, with 188 trained at Al-Azhar International Academy for Training Imams and Preachers according to a curriculum prepared by a selected group of Al-Azhar academics and scholars. The grand imam also stressed that the mission of Al-Azhar is a global one, based on promoting peace and dialogue among all, besides helping Muslims integrate positively into their societies in a way that guarantees the preservation of their faith and the freedom to practice their rituals, in addition to their engagement in promoting social peace within their communities and the countries of their residence.


For this purpose, he said, Al-Azhar has opened up to religious and cultural institutions around the world with the aim of strengthening the role of religious scholars in containing conflicts and promoting dialogue and positive openness towards the others. Misri, on his part, expressed India’s appreciation for the great efforts made by the grand imam of Al-Azhar in promoting the values of brotherhood, dialogue and world peace, said the people cited earlier.